Vintage 2018, aren't you excited?

[William P]

https://www.decanter.com/en-primeur/bor ... 42-409342/

[JimHow]

I'm out.

[Claudius2]

Ditto
If I want big, bold, high alcohol, high tannic wines, I'm ordering some more Barossa Shiraz.
And I can at least drink those wines before I die from old age.

[Gerry M.]

I'm out.

+1

[jckba]

Excited, sure as I am always excited to taste the new Bdx vintage coming to market and will reserve judgement for when I get to taste them in 2 years.

[DavidG]

I’m too old to buy any more young Bordeaux, regardless of the quality of tthe wines.
But I’m always excited to hear about the latest vintage.
Sounds like this one may be polarizing.
So much for the shift back to elegance and finesse.
You’ve got to play the hand Mother Nature deals you.
You make rocket fuel, maybe you figure to shoot the moon.

[AlexR]

Claudius,

Where in the world did you get the idea that the 2018s were like that?

I'll be sampling a slew of them at the en primeur tastings.

I'll let you know how that are .

Best regards,
Alex R.

[Claudius2]

Alex
I will of course read your notes with interest but I have a feeling that I will be long gone before the top wines can happily be sipped.
Here are a few direct quotes from that link above:

Expect big bold wines, high tannic content
… and high alcohols
They are high impact wines (whatever that means...)


Read more at https://www.decanter.com/en-primeur/bor ... vSAQIQX.99

[AlexR]

Claudius,

I ain't exactly no spring chicken myself .

As for Jane Anson's comments (she's a neighbor), I think like all generalizations, they should be taken with a grain of salt.

Like you say, it is a sobering reminder of our mortality to see wines come out that won't hit their full stride until after we're gone....

All the best,
Alex

[OrlandoRobert]

Alex
I will of course read your notes with interest but I have a feeling that I will be long gone before the top wines can happily be sipped.
Here are a few direct quotes from that link above:

Expect big bold wines, high tannic content
… and high alcohols
They are high impact wines (whatever that means...)


Read more at https://www.decanter.com/en-primeur/bor ... vSAQIQX.99

I heard Rolland say, "Greatest. Vintage. Ever. Me love 16.5% ABV".

Ok, I lied. He didnt say that. But I did think of him while reading that passage.

I'm out. But I was out before I was in, anyway.

[Blanquito]

Only with enough time can we really see when we waded in for real into our last vintage, methinks. It’s starting to become clear that 2009 was my last sizeable foray. Sure, I’ve bought a smattering of ‘10s, ‘14s, ‘15s and now a case of ‘16s, but these have all been capped at 2 cases per vintage at most. I seriously doubt the 18s will change that!

[DavidG]

Only with enough time can we really see when we waded in for real into our last vintage, methinks. It’s starting to become clear that 2009 was my last sizeable foray. Sure, I’ve bought a smattering of ‘10s, ‘14s, ‘15s and now a case of ‘16s, but these have all been capped at 2 cases per vintage at most. I seriously doubt the 18s will change that!

Patrick, I have a lot more experience in this matter than you do, so I know what I’m talking about.* I’m out.





*This is my fourth last vintage. Maybe my fifth.

[Blanquito]

LOL, David!

Which was your last “big” vintage, say 50+ bottles purchased as futures or shortly after release?

[DavidG]

2009 was the last year I bought "big" for me - over 5 cases.
I was "out" for 2010. Bought ~3 cases. Mostly early drinkers. Fail.
I was "out" for 2011-2013. Bought nothing.
I was "out" for 2014-2016. Bought ~2 cases each year. Fail.
I think I am "out' for good now for young Bordeaux.

[AlexR]

Time for the next generation... and the Chinese to fill the gap.

AR

[Nicklasss]

When I read that thread, I feel like:

A. BWE is a community of old farts, to old to even remember that red Bordeaux are great and better than any other red, any vintage, young or old.

B. BWE is full of liers, as you'll all buy a few bottle anyway.

Nic

[Comte Flaneur]

I am in the ‘too old to buy’ category.

I think Alex R commented on the main risk with this vintage - that the wines may end up lacking (Bordeaux) typicity.

But I would not be surprised if the vintage bags a record number of James Sutcliffe and Galloni 100 point scores.

But too early to tell of course.

[William P]

Yes there was just a touch of sarcasm in my title. Maybe Nic some of us have become bunch of old farts. I don't think I'm old, but at times, well, I'm not as young as I was.

I've been buying Bordeaux for 43 years now. I've seen more than a few vintages of the century go down in flames. I've seen my share of hype. It is not my intent to throw shade on the pleasure of the younger Bordeaux lovers. I've been there. Yes, Bordeaux for all its hype is still the best but as some have commented, it makes little sense to buy wine that will outlive me, unless you are Stefan. I'm not excited about buying cases for the future anymore. I am excited and thankful that I can drink and share some great wines with friends. See you in Denver.

Bill

[JimHow]

Yesterday I had a couple glasses of 2004 Smith Haut Lafitte, my first alcohol consumption in over five weeks. (Paying for it today though.)
The wine, now in its 16th year, was drinking beautifully. I don't think Bordeaux needs to age 20 years in most cases.
I think AlexR has spoken on this issue before.
The SHL was beautiful, fresh, with some nuances the result of 16 years of aging.
So if I'm 60 now, the 2018 vintage will be 16 years old when I'm 75... still an age that I hope to be able to enjoy some fine Bordeaux.
I can't afford the first growths or a lot of the super seconds anyway, the wines that would more likely require aging of 20 years or more.
The wines I've been buying regularly in recent years are: Calon Segur, Giscours, Leoville Barton, Cantemerle, Chasse Spleen, Meyney, Sociando Mallett, and a few others.
I'll buy some 2017 and 2018, just not in any significant quantity.
2016 will be my last vintage of major investment.

[stefan]

Actually, Bill, the only young red wines I buy in any quantity right now are Oregon PNs, which in many vintages drink well young and age well. I am focused on stocking our Oregon lake house with mature wines.

Of course, stefanJr, T, and their spouses are not excited by this strategy.

[stefan]

>>
Calon Segur, Giscours, Leoville Barton, Cantemerle, Chasse Spleen, Meyney, Sociando Mallett
>>

Well, if you add in La Lagune, I would still die happily if I could drink those every day.

[Nicklasss]

William P, we'll have fun in Denver. Even if i'm an old fart.

Nic

[DavidG]

Nic, if you’re an old fart, I’d hate think what that makes me.

Anyway, if I weren’t out based on age, I still wouldn't be taking the bait on 2018s. Partly because I no longer buy the en primeur hype (not to mention this is pre-en primeur hype), and partly because the description sounds like the vintage is pushing the envelope on alcohol, ripeness, and extraction.

[Claudius2]

Folks
Don't expect the Chinese market to buy up big for 2018, though 8 is seen as a lucky number on China.
And yes, 2014 wasn't so great in China as 4 is associated with death.

There are several factors why the China market is a bit soft at the current time, including (but not limited to):

A). Xi's big crackdown on corruption and gift giving/receiving - it is netting up a lot of bureaucrats and businesspeople
B). A slowdown in direct foreign investment
C). The property market is faltering and may collapse under its own weight (there are already big discounts and huge over-supply)
D). Economic growth is starting to slow (and the published data are normally goosed up in any case)
E). Trade issues with the USA and others are likely to continue for some time, creating uncertainty with buyers and importers
F). The Chinese are also starting to discover other regions outside of Bordeaux - they have been enamored to famous Chateaux for some time.
G). Wines like Lafite and Petrus are too often counterfeited and this is affecting the desirability of the top Bordeaux wines.

Whilst the last point is generally associated with the secondary market, it is common to see fake wines even in high end shops in China. I have a pretty good idea what a fake bottle now looks like, and anyone buying wine from Chinese retailers is taking a risk. Don't forget that if you buy a recent Lafite or Petrus, not often will they drink it straight away and complain, and a lot of used for gift giving and the end drinker is likely to be clueless or have no ability to return the wine or even complain. Unfortunately, China is now the world capital of fake everything. Not just luxury goods (bags, accessories, shoes, make-up, perfumes, whatever) but even eggs, milk powder and meat. And pharmaceautical scams are also everyday occurrences.

[greatbxfreak]

I'll be 73 in the end of 2019 and I wonder if I purchase en primeur again.

I bought assorted app. 2 cases in both 2015 and 2016 and 1.5 case of 2017. I have under 700 bottles in my cellar, mostly Bordeaux. Recently, I bought some Borgundy wines after an eye-opening tasting in November last year.

If 2018 turns out like more or less 2016 I will buy half a case assorted, if it is reminder of 2009, I'll pass. I have enough wine to be drunk every week from now on

In one month I'll be in Bx for primeur and some days I'll team up with Alex to taste. 44th visit to Bx since 1984.

[marcs]

I never buy more than 2-3 cases a vintage. I told myself I was out in 2014 when I bought about two cases. But then I bought a mixed case of Margaux in 2015 and have bought half a case (Pichon Baron and Leoville Barton) in 2016. Contemplating adding a few bottles of Branaire Ducru given Blanquito's review.

But I have felt zero temptation to dip into 2017 (well priced) or 2018 (yet another VOTC, although in a style I'm not attracted to). It's like 2015-16 were my cheating vintages and now I'm really done. So many backfilling opportunities around as well!

[NoahR]

I am also out. As I was in 17.

I bought 4-5 cases of ‘14 and ‘16 for kids’ birth years and a smattering of ‘15. Right now I’d rather pick up 2-3 bottles of ‘86 Gruaud Larose for the same price as a single bottle of LMHB. So much Bordeaux available at auction on a weekly basis!

[DavidG]

Yup, it's backfill mode for me too from here on in.

[DavidG]

Scores are starting to come in. Plenty of high 90s and potential 100s from James Molesworth of Wine Spectator.

552662FC-BC52-4E4A-8DBB-701224E26423.png (14.37 KiB) Viewed 3192 times

[AKR]

https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2019/04 ... eak-moment

[AKR]

https://www.winespectator.com/webfeatur ... ux-Futures

[JCNorthway]

I'm sure there are several factors at work here. But I think the single largest impact was when the producers got greedy and tried to take all of the potential futures price bumps for themselves. I think that happened around the 2005 vintage. Anything I bought on futures in 2000 was selling for more by the time the wines hit the market. The few 2005s I bought on futures, I could have purchased for about the same price when they hit the shelves.

[DavidG]

Since the financial advantage has been removed, there is no longer any incentive to buying en primeur. The upside is that one can avoid the hype, distortion, bias, uncertainty, etc. associated with en primeur season by waiting for in-bottle reports from a larger group of people or even taste for yourself at a UGC event before buying.